Benjamin Nygren – One of Celtic’s smartest bits of business | OneFootball

You won’t have missed that it was being reported that Swedish forward Benjamin Nygren had been spotted in Glasgow ahead of a potential move to Celtic, well now it’s official, with Celtic announcing Nygren’s signing on the club’s social media at lunchtime today.

While this perhaps wasn’t a name that was familiar immediately with the Celtic support, when he was first linked with the club, a closer look at Nygren’s career suggests this could be one of the smartest bits of business Celtic make this window, as he very much looks a first team ready starter and a player ready to step up to Champions League football.

And as Conor Spence reported earlier today on The Celtic Star it also seemed Nygren’s current club Nordsjælland were already scouting the market for a replacement for their outgoing winger, which certainly helped raise the anticipation for an imminent Celtic announcement.

Nygren’s breakthrough came at IFK Göteborg, where his technical ability and attacking instincts earned him a move to Belgian side Genk in 2019 for around €4 million. At the time, he was seen as one of the top young talents coming out of Scandinavia. But like many young players making early moves abroad, the transition wasn’t straightforward. He struggled for consistent minutes and ended up going out on loan, including a spell at Heerenveen in the Dutch Eredivisie.

Celtic’s new signing Benjamin Nygren in the Hoops. Photo Celtic FC

In 2022, he moved to FC Nordsjælland in Denmark, a club well-known for its development of young talent and attractive style of play. It was here that Nygren began to rebuild and relaunch his career, showing steady progress, improved maturity on the pitch, and a clearer understanding of his role in a more tactical system. He played across the forward line, though most often cutting in from the right flank.

Nygren’s development is on an upward trajectory and his stats make for some impressive reading. Have a look at his scouting report, as per fbref, for his Conference League appearances in the 2023/24 season.

Nygren is clearly a technically sound player, good in tight areas, and has shown increasing tactical awareness – something Brendan Rodgers tends to value highly in wide players who are expected to do more than just run at defenders.

Celtic’s new signing Benjamin Nygren in the Hoops. Photo Celtic FC

Then there is the value of this move, the transfer fee. Reports suggest Celtic have picked Nygren up him up for well under £2 million, including add-ons. For a player who once cost €4 million as a teenager and is still just 23 years old, this seems excellent value. In a market where clubs are regularly shelling out five or six times that amount for untested potential, this deal looks like smart scouting meeting with opportunity – Nygren’s contract was due to expire in six months time – and that’s very encouraging.

Of course, there’s no guarantee Nygren becomes a first-team regular right away, but I wouldn’t bet against it, particularly if Nicolas Kuhn does leave the club this summer. But at this price, he doesn’t need to be an instant starter to justify the move.

If he adapts quickly – and that’s always the big ‘if’ at a club with such scrutiny and big demands placed on players – he could offer genuine competition for the right-wing slot, and if Kuhn goes, it will likely be Nygren’s shirt to claim.  If he develops well, he’s also the kind of player who could be moved on in two or three years for a significant profit – the sort of model Celtic have executed with Jota, Liel Abada, and Odsonne Edouard over recent transfer windows.

This is the type of signing that doesn’t dominate headlines but often ends up being quietly effective. A good age, technically solid, tactically flexible, and with previous experience in top-level European development leagues, Nygren ticks a lot of the right boxes.

Well, now we have official confirmation, and it’s another sign Celtic are looking to do sensible, strategic business this summer – and at a fee that represents real value to boot. And it looks like, according to Fabrizio Romano’s update, Celtic somehow managed to shave €500k off the asking price, paying just €1.5m for Benjamin Nygren. What are we like?

Welcome to Celtic Benjamin, we look forward to seeing you in action starring for the Hoops.

Niall J

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